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Hearing Loss in Two Prison Populations

NCJ Number
103430
Journal
Journal of Correctional Education Volume: 37 Issue: 4 Dated: (December 1986) Pages: 147-155
Author(s)
C C McRandle; R Goldstein
Date Published
1986
Length
9 pages
Annotation
A group of 73 Wisconsin adult correctional facility inmates (26 men and 53 women, mean age 28.6 years) was screened by pure-tone audiometry and by acoustic immittance procedures.
Abstract
Questions pertaining to hearing history and to head trauma also were asked. Air-conduction threshold audiometry was undertaken only with those subjects who failed the pure-tone screening. Of subjects, 21 failed the audiometric screening; 2 failed acoustic immittance screening; and 5 failed both. Over two-thirds of the inmates reported at least one incident of unconsciousness due to head trauma. The extent of hearing loss in this group is higher than what might be predicted among noninstitutionalized populations. While most of the 26 identified losses were not severe, such losses in school-aged children would have been grounds for remedial attention to prevent educational problems. Only 14 of the inmates, 2 of whom wore hearing aids, were aware of some loss prior to screening. None of the others reported any remedial services. Educational and other implications of this high incidence of hearing loss among correctional populations are discussed, and a need for intake screening and remedial services is suggested. 4 tables, 1 figure, and 21 references. (Author abstract modified)

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